Vinesh Phogat Appeals Disqualification at Paris Olympics
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following her disqualification from the 50 kg category final at the Paris Olympics. Phogat, who was set to compete against the United States’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt for the gold medal, was disqualified for breaching the weight limit.
Dinshaw Pardiwala, Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Olympic contingent, revealed that Phogat exceeded the weight limit by 2.7 kg after her semi-final bout. Efforts were made to reduce her weight by restricting her food and water intake.
According to an IOA source, Phogat has requested the CAS to award her the silver medal. The verdict is expected on Thursday morning. The source stated, “Vinesh Phogat has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification, asking for the silver medal. CAS will give its verdict tomorrow morning.”
Phogat had advanced to the gold medal bout by defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha expressed her shock and disappointment over Phogat’s disqualification. She confirmed that while Phogat is physically and medically fine, she is disappointed. Usha noted that the support staff is actively working to help Phogat manage her weight. Usha said, “After hearing the news that Vinesh Phogat is disqualified, I am shocked and disappointed. I had come here to meet Vinesh; she is physically and medically okay. Mentally, she is disappointed. Our support staff is with her, trying their best to help her reduce weight.”
India has won three bronze medals at the Paris Olympics so far, all in shooting. The country narrowly missed additional medals, finishing fourth in events including the 10m air rifle, 25m pistol, skeet team, badminton singles, and mixed archery team events.
Doubts Revealed
Vinesh Phogat -: Vinesh Phogat is a famous Indian wrestler who competes in international sports events like the Olympics.
Disqualification -: Disqualification means being removed from a competition because of breaking the rules. In this case, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for weighing too much.
Paris Olympics -: The Paris Olympics is a big sports event where athletes from all over the world compete. It is held in Paris, the capital city of France.
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) -: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is a special court that helps solve sports-related disputes. Athletes can go there if they think a decision made during a competition was unfair.
50 kg category -: The 50 kg category is a weight class in wrestling. It means that wrestlers competing in this category should weigh 50 kilograms or less.
Indian Olympic Association -: The Indian Olympic Association is the organization that manages India’s participation in the Olympics and other international sports events.
PT Usha -: PT Usha is a famous Indian athlete who is now the President of the Indian Olympic Association. She was known for her speed in running.
